Nigeria: First Lady's Illness - Jonathan Ends Botswana Visit Abruptly

President Goodluck Jonathan was expected back home last night, cutting short his visit to Botswana by one day and lending credence to reports in the online media that he made a "hasty departure because his wife's health condition may have taken a bad turn."

The president was scheduled to return home from a visit to Malawi and Botswana tomorrow in the brief to Villa correspondents before he left Abuja.

The Botswana Gazette reported yesterday that a press release from that country's foreign affairs ministry said Jonathan who arrived Gaborone yesterday morning was on a two-day visit while the Daily News reported today that he returned home yesterday. Sources in Abuja also indicated that he was on his way back last night.

There was no official explanation for the president's sudden return.

Meanwhile, sources told LEADERSHIP that the presidency has replaced security aides around first lady Patience Jonathan in order to keep her affairs private at the Wiesbaden Klinik in Germany.

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